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Stupid Intolerance.

The Galena Courier of Wednesday says:

Last evening the citizens of Galena responded to the call for a public meeting of all persons who were in favor of the Union, and supporting the government and the constitution. At an early hour the court house was crowded, and many could not obtain admittance. On motion of Charles S. Hempstead, esq., Mayor Brand was called to the chair, who, before taking his seat, made the following remarks:

FELLOW CITIZENS: I acknowledge the honor you confer on me this evening, and before taking the chair you assign me, it would be well for me to state to you frankly and briefly the ground on which I stand in the present crisis.

I am in favor of any honorable compromise that will again unite our whole country. I am in favor of sustaining the president so long as his efforts are for the peace and harmony of our whole country. I am in favor of a convention of the people, that an adjustment might be made, sustaining alike the honor, interest and safety of both sections of our country. I am in favor of sustaining our flag, our constitution, and our laws, right or wrong. Yet I am opposed to warring on any portion of our beloved country, if a compromise can be effected.

These sentiments "in favor of sustaining our flag, our constitution and our laws, right or wrong," but still expressing the hope that some honorable compromise may yet be adopted which would again unite our whole country, were not to the taste of Hon. E. B. Washburne, the member of congress from this district, who immediately arose and denounced the address of the mayor, and moved that he vacate the chair.

The Courier says the motion was put, and, by an almost unanimous vote, Mr. Washburne was put down, that paper pointedly remarking:

The men who are so free in applying the epithets of "traitors" and "cowards," to all who do not fully agree with them in sentiment, we fear are actuated more by hatred of the south and a blood-thirsty spirit, than by love of country, and a desire to vindicate its honor, and stand by its flag.

There is too much of this spirit abroad, and, we regret to say it, we are not without it here. Do such men really believe they are subserving any good purpose? Are they so besotted with party prejudice that they cannot keep civil tongues in their heads, when it is the highest duty of every good citizen to contribute every effort to cultivate amity of feeling amid the horrible perils that beset us? Such men as we refer to are not those who are tendering their bodies to the country. They are zealots for the cause, but it is only with their tongues. They were zealous in carrying a lamp, but have huge distaste to carrying a musket, or for carrying one where there may be danger to their hides. This spirit should be frowned down by every good citizen. When the trouble is over — God speed the day — we can then discuss the causes of the war and the respective merits of each other in contributing to its successful and honorable termination.